


Rebels in the Dark

by heart_yarn



Category: XCOM (Video Games) & Related Fandoms
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-11-25 16:51:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20915390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heart_yarn/pseuds/heart_yarn
Summary: Earth lost the battle with alien invaders 20 years ago. XCOM, Earth's defense force, fell. The Commander disappeared. And John Bradford was left to pick up the pieces of his life.20 years have past. Every guerrilla mission feels like their last. But something pushes Bradford forward now. If the Commander is still out there, he'll fight through fire to bring her back.





	Rebels in the Dark

John Bradford’s even step masked the dread he felt as he moved his way through the crowded streets. Even with his heavy coat obscuring his weapons and his upturned collar around his face, he felt sure he would be discovered at any moment. Unification Day celebrations were underway, maintained by a heavy security and surveillance force. Calm but alert, he glided past the “Peace Keeper” Advent soldiers that seemed to be at every corner, in every doorway. It had been a long time since he tried to blend in with the law-abiding crowds. Hiding on the fringes of free humanity for decades was bound to make him rusty at acting like a “normal” person. Though he was afraid to ask what “normal” meant these days.

A short blaring alert to his right sent a shock down his spine. He maintained an even pace, watching from the corner of his eye as someone was detained by two Advent soldiers under the street scanners. He knew they would probably disappear, and there’d be nothing he could do. He had to push forward.

Bradford followed the crowd up to a security scanner checkpoint as they sorted into a slow moving line. Beyond the gate he saw the park square, the festivities, more security... and his primary goal, the Advent medical headquarters. He took a deep breath, trying to ignore the pit in his stomach. Was he sending his team into another dead end? This was the deepest they’d ever gone into Advent territory. If they didn’t find her here…

Well, there wasn’t much of XCOM left anyway. At least he’d be able to say he finally got off his ass and tried.

“You were right, they’ve definitely got their hands full today.” Bradford’s buzzing earpiece pulled him back to reality. His team was in position. “Stay focused”, he whispered, half to himself. He was only a few steps away from the checkpoint now. “Prep Gatecrasher. 60 seconds.”

Bradford stepped forward through the checkpoint. Immediately the warning alerts blared around him. No surprise there. He just needed to buy a little time. The four Advent guards rushed towards him, weapons drawn, their human-like faces shouting commands at him in an alien tongue. He refused to move, his sharp gaze and stone expression never wavered.

The rifle hit him square in the gut and he crumpled to his knees, gasping. As he heard the rifles cock and prepare to fire, he glanced up and saw Lt. Kelly’s sticky bomb blinking a friendly “ready” light on the side of the Advent truck ahead of him. Damn, she was fast. The Advent guards were screaming at him now, seconds away from riddling him with laser fire. His eyes darted around the square, making sure Kelly was clear. Bradford lifted his head and stared straight down the barrel of the rifle.

“Now.”

The explosion shook the park square, knocking his four captors off their feet. They scattered around Bradford with a hard thud, knocked unconscious from the impact. He quickly rose to his feet as the square filled with screams and running in every direction. Advent would have their hands full for a while if he was lucky.

Bradford quickly shed his coat and retrieved the shotgun strapped to his back. He bolted towards the chaos in the park square and barked into his earpiece, “Gatecrasher, you’re up!”

In seconds the XCOM Skyranger dropship zoomed overhead and released ropes on the far side of the square, dropping his guerrilla troops into position. As Advent guards rushed to engage the new enemy, Bradford found cover behind a park statue and spotted his three closest targets. His worn, steady hands aimed the shotgun at the back of the Advent soldier. Alright, he thought, here we go.

The close proximity shredded his first target from hip to shoulder, their limp body lurching forward onto the concrete. The two remaining soldiers instantly spun around and laid down suppression fire. Bradford ducked behind the statue as laser fire blazed by on either side of him.

Bradford waited. Your move.

It didn’t take long to hear the Advent Lieutenant barking orders. The suppression shots continued, but he could tell one of the guns had ceased to fire. He took a deep breath and pulled out the knife strapped to his leg. Energy wound up inside him but he remained perfectly still. His only movements were his eyes continuously darting to either side, waiting for the flanker.

Just as the Advent soldier rounded the corner, Bradford lunched with deadly precision and buried his knife in the gap between the soldier’s shoulder armor and helmet. The soldier helplessly attempted to wrench the knife free from his neck, but Bradford spun his body towards the remaining Advent lieutenant like a meat shield. The rapid laser fire tore through the soldier, killing him instantly. A stray shot whizzed across Bradford’s side, searing through his shirt and burning his skin. Bradford hissed through his teeth and he felt one knee buckle slightly, but he refused to release his grip on the expired meat shield slumped against his shoulder.

In seconds the laser fire would obliterate his cover. Bradford pulled the pistol from his belt and with rhythmic breaths...

One.

Two.

Three. He let the body fall.

In the split moment of exposure he aimed and fired, piercing the Advent lieutenant right through the gap in his helmet. The lieutenant fell into a crumpled heap, and the square was silent. The loudest sound was the blood pumping in Bradford’s ears.

Fading adrenaline and age forced Bradford to acknowledge the laser wound scar in his side. He groaned as he tenderly examined it. No major damage, but it hurt like hell. I sure didn’t miss that feeling, Bradford mused to himself.

Bradford registered the sound of his soldiers barking commands on the other side of the square. He gathered himself up as best he could. They had maximum ten minutes to complete this mission, and there would be no way in hell Bradford would be leaving without answers. He retrieved his knife from the expired Advent soldier, reloaded the shotgun, and made his way into the square, to the Advent medical headquarters.


End file.
